Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Since the theme of this blog is machine quilting solutions this post will begin to catch up all of the projects that I have been working on over the last year.

With so many types of sewing machines and so much of a variety of quilts to be quilted I have been busy designing additional frames and options for machine quilting many types of quilts. Be it art quilts.

My favorite quilt frame is still my track and carriage design. Throughout the last several months I have been testing new designs for end connector roll tightening. The new connectors are a great improvement in providing a really strong anti roll feature to the rolls.

My new artist quilt frame is a variation of a design I sold several years ago. It is absolutely the most maneuverable quilt frame available anywhere at any cost. It moves freely in any direction in all directions. With the four bearing balls it just glides wherever you want it to. With this frame the sewing machine remains stationary and the frame moves. The drawback to this type of ream is that you need adequate table width to use. Some of the quilters who use this frame use three tables, two for the ends and one in the center for the machine. The center table for the machine rolls side to side whiles the end tables allow for the frame movement. While this may sound a bit complicated it is not. See illustration below and video

FINALLY a quilt frame option for long arm sewing machines!
What are the options for long arm machines? Either manipulate the quilt by hand or poses a huge track and carriage type machine, right?
Why I love this frame, It provides the most affordable and useable options for any type of quilt you will ever make.
It is perfect lap quilts, baby quilts and especially for art quilts. When designing and working with this frame I have realized this frame is the perfect option for long arm sewing machines where you may have room and space for a long arm machine but not room for the permanent setup of the large heavy carriage type frame required to support and operate a long arm sewing machine.

Best of all, with international shipping costs ever increasing this kit breaks down into a medium size USPS flat rate box and has reduced shipping costs to my quilter friends in the UK, Australia, Canada the Scandinavian countries Asia and South America the Middle east and anywhere the USPS ships. Within the US including Alaska and Hawaii the shipping cost is about $15.00 How cool is that?

So what else is new?
Besides designing and building quilt frames I am a professional artist. Some of my art is represented by the Southam gallery in Salt Lake Cityhttp://www.southamgallery.com/lund.html

Throughout the last year I have been working on new ideas for teaching art quilting. I have taken my design ideas and printed full size the design outlines on fabric so you can apply your fabrics and infuse the basic design with your own creative talents. They are more than a pattern they are a good basis and starting point for your art or lap quilt.I have printed only small limited editions and hope you will try the new ideas. The cost for the designs printed on fabric are as minimal as I am able to provide.
The first design I am presenting is for a quilt celebrating Trout and fishing gear. Shown below is the beginning quilt demonstrating how I applied fabric and design elements to my quilt.
The new art quilt blog is almost ready to go so here is the link and please check it out in the next few weeks as I post the new art and design projects.http://artquiltlab.blogspot.com/

Ultimately the long span in my updating this blog is apologized for but I think you will find the new work and Ideas for machine quilting worthwhile. Thank you so much for taking a look and sharing my efforts with others.
Kind Regards!
Ken